LEE, Mass. — Monday, at approximately 5:30 p.m., Trooper Gary Ruef of the Westfield Barracks came upon a crash on Route 90 the Mass Pike eastbound at the 12.6 mile marker in Lee.

Upon arrival, Trooper Ruef discovered that a 2014 Peterbilt tractor-trailer, had struck the rear of a 2018 International tandem tractor-trailer that was traveling in the right travel lane at a slow speed. Upon crashing into the rear of the trailer, the load being carried on the trailer consisting of re-bar shifted forward and penetrated into the cab of the tractor. The truck also caught on fire from the crash. T

Ruef and several bystanders, including an off-duty and a retired firefighter, attempted

LEE, Mass. — A Medford woman died after a one-car crash on the Massachusetts Turnpike on Monday morning.
The accident, which occurred in the westbound lane near the 13.6 mile marker in Lee, was reported at 7:48 a.m.
Bernadette D. Murch, 53, the operator and only occupant of the vehicle, was transported to Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield. She was pronounced dead a short time after arrival.
Preliminary investigation by Trooper Eric Bauman indicates that Murch's 2015 Fiat 500 was westbound in Lee when, for reasons still under investigation, the vehicle went off the right side of the road and rolled over.

LEE, Mass. — A police officer has resigned while being investigated for allegedly stealing evidence.
The district attorney's office says Ryan Lucy, one of two evidence officers for the Lee Police Department, resigned and entered substance abuse rehabilitation treatment on Aug. 29. He is cooperating with investigators, the district attorney's office says, with an investigation regarding theft of evidence.
The Police Department became suspicious in late July when cash from an investigation went missing. State Police detectives were called to audit the department's evidence.
A total of $1,408 in cash was found to be

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — A former Lee police chief is facing further charges related to stealing from a Christmas toy fund.

Joseph Buffis, 56, of Pittsfield was charged Thursday in U.S. District Court in a superseding indictment with three counts of wire fraud, mail fraud and four counts of money laundering, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's office.

On Aug. 8, 2013, Buffis was charged in an initial indictment with extortion and three counts of money laundering.

According to the superseding indictment, Buffis used his position as a police officer to solicit public donations on behalf of the Edward J. Laliberte Toy Fund, ostensibly to use for toy

Buffis, 55, of Pittsfield allegedly extorted $4,000 in "donations" from two individuals who were facing charges related to prostitution, according to the U.S. attorney general's office. The donation was made payable to the Edward J. Laliberte Toy Fund, which Buffis had control over, and then withdrawn and deposited into Buffis' bank account.

According to prosecutors, the money was used to pay personal expenses. Buffis also allegedly lied to law enforcement about the funds.